Our year began with the theme “Who do you say that I am?” Matthew 16:15. This basic question dominated our faith formation programs and our daily encounters with the Lord. Students discovered that what we believe about God matters. How we pray and live our lives depends very much on what we believe about God. This question presented itself many times throughout this challenging year, from the extreme winter and overwhelming flooding to the damaging hailstorms. We came together and persevered.
Now, with the school year behind us, we can take some time to reflect and look ahead to the future. From students to teachers and parents, this is a moment to acknowledge the accomplishments and challenges of this past year.
For our system, the end of the year allows us to review the areas of focus and start to plan for next year. Our focus continues to be on improving our communication, collaboration, and efficiencies within our schools. Some of the areas we have addressed this past year are:
First Semester Focus:
1) Establish an OCS calendar in advance for families.
2) Created a K-12 OCS Day of Recollection for faculty and staff.
3) Re-established Elementary Athletic Committee.
4) Supplied Emergency First Aid bags to all faculty & staff.
5) Participating with principals in development through WKEC by implementing strategies taught in the program series, What Great Principals Do Differently
6) Completed the collaboration with Brescia University and the Diocese to graduate our first class of future leaders of the Servant Leadership Formation Program.
7) Continue increasing communication with all administrative teams.
8) Identified and structured departments, utilizing goals and growth plans to strengthen and communicate effectively among team members.
9) Advent System Focus
10) Initiate a K-12 in-house snow removal process instead of hiring an outside business.
11) Partner with WKEC to develop a series of teacher professional development in Math.
12) Developing documents to adhere to our new governance structure.
13) Complied and reviewed summer survey results for continued school improvement.
14) Working with administrative teams and the Kentucky Center for School Safety to provide training to develop a common threat assessment protocol.
15) Continue working on the structure of our Education Advisory Council.
16) Meeting with the Superintendent and the Archdiocese of Louisville to establish a curriculum development team to work on new Religion/Theology standards.
17) In collaboration with the Kentucky Center of School Safety, schedule and perform assessments of all our schools to ensure all safety needs are being met.
18) Scheduling Safety Training for all our schools to ensure all are educated on the most effective practices.
19) Refine the budget process to include more strategic, long-term planning.
20) Met with some companies to discuss options and pricing for student photographs.
21) Forma Uniform Committee to research and discuss our current uniform concerns.
22) Hired a new Elementary Athletic Director.
23) Discussions/Research on Cyber Security Options for our System.
24) Completed Door Security/Badge System for our four schools.
Second Semester Focus:
1) CSW/Lent System Daily Focus
2) Growth Plan Mid-Year Reviews
3) Review and Update Evaluation Documents
4) K-12Uniform Discussion/Surveys
5) Improvement Plans – Five-Year Plan discussion for each department
6) NTI Review/Inclement Weather Policy
7) 2025-2026Budget Approval
8) Interview/Research Student Photography Options
9) OCS Pre-School Discussion
10) OCS Day of Recollection discussion/Faith in Education Theme
11) Multi-Purpose Building/Chapel Project
12) Summer Projects
13) Increased Teacher Salary
14) ARK Religion Assessment
15) Math Professional Development for Teachers – Building Thinking Classrooms in Math
16) Parent Education Programs in Suicide Prevention and Vaping
17) Revise Health Services Protocols
18) MAP assessment of data results presentation to the Education Advisory Council
19) Grant Applications
20) Kee Force – Cyber Security Assessment and Needs
21) New School Video/Audio Surveillance Policy
22) Begin discussions on the 75th Anniversary of Owensboro Catholic
23) Faith Formation alignment of the 6-12 grade curricula and retreats
24) Storm Damage Process
25) Working with the Diocese on a revised Leadership Academy
For students, the end of the year is a time to celebrate growth and achievements. Whether they excel in a specific subject, master a new skill, or simply navigate school’s social landscape, students have learned and grown throughout the year. It’s a time to encourage them to reflect on their progress and set goals for the summer and the next school year. We are so proud of our students and all their hard work.
Teachers, too, benefit from reflecting on the year. The goals they achieved. What worked well and what needs to be improved? A chance for them to evaluate their teaching methods, classroom management, and student interactions. An opportunity to collaborate with colleagues and discuss ways to improve their practice. For most of our teachers, this is done through professional development in areas from Building Thinking Classrooms in Math, IXL training, CPR & First Aid, to Student Engagement. Our teachers work tirelessly for our students, and we appreciate all their amazing work and dedication this year.
The end of the school year is also a time to appreciate the OCS community that has come together to support our students and teachers. Parents, guardians, PTO, and community members have played an important role in our students’ success. This success wouldn’t be possible without your support and contributions to our schools. We look forward to continued collaboration in the coming year.
This year has been a journey of growth and learning for all of us, and I am so proud of the progress we have made. Thank you for the contributions of our school personnel, families, students, and the community. By acknowledging the achievements of the past year and setting goals for the future, we can create a positive and supportive environment for all students and educators.
May your summer be filled with rest, relaxation, and family enjoyment. Please continue to visit our website and stay tuned to our social media platforms, as we will continue to share, with great pride, news on our system, students, staff, and upcoming events.
Uniform Enforcement
Dear Parents,
We are writing to share an update on the uniform information, remind you of expectations, and outline what will be enforced moving forward. Over the last couple of years, faculty, staff, parents, and even students have noticed that not all students are adhering to our uniform policy, which is essential for maintaining a sense of equality, discipline, and pride within our school community. Earlier this year, surveys were sent out to our faculty, students, and parents to determine the areas of concern and opinions concerning our current school uniforms. Once the surveys were completed, a uniform committee was formed to assess the results and collaborate to find solutions to the areas of concern.
We had a total of 920 responses, indicating the following areas to address:
· Length & fit of skirts and shorts
· Comfort
· Cost
· Color
· Enforcement
· Vendor– local and or online options
As you know, our uniform is designed to promote inclusivity and minimize distractions, helping students focus on their education. It also enhances school identity and prepares students for environments where professionalism is expected. Unfortunately, deviations from the uniform standard compromise these important OCS values. Additionally, when students do not follow the uniform policy, it creates unnecessary disruptions to teaching and learning. Teachers and staff are required to address these issues throughout the day, which diverts attention away from instruction time and can affect the learning environment for all students. We want to maintain a focus on education, enabling students to aspire, explore, and succeed. Ensuring all students follow the uniform guidelines is an important part of achieving this goal.
After many meetings and discussions, OCS Leadership has decided not to make any uniform changes for the 2025-2026 school year. Instead, we would like parents and students to be more diligent in following our uniform policies, which will be more rigorously enforced by the schools. Consequences will be put in place for students who do not comply with the uniform policy. These measures are meant to ensure that all students follow the guidelines and uphold the school’s values. We kindly ask for your cooperation as parents in ensuring that your child adheres to the uniform requirements.
The key elements of our student uniform policy are:
- White collared shirt
- Navy (K-8)/Khaki (OCHS) tailored trousers/shorts or school skirt (worn at the correct length, i.e., not rolled at the waist)
Note: Dress should be modest in length, appearance, and style at all times. Styles that are too short, tight-fitting, or too revealing or otherwise inappropriate for school are not permitted. All decisions related to proper dress will be made by the school administration.
Should students arrive at school in an incorrect uniform, then the following system will be applied:
- Students will be asked to correct their uniform. Once they comply, they will be allowed to continue with their day. Any further infringement during the day will lead to an additional consequence.
- If students do not have the correct uniform, they will be offered the opportunity to borrow the correct uniform from our pastoral provision. If the student complies with this request, then they will be able to continue with their day.
- If an item isn’t available to borrow, parents will be notified to bring the designated item to school.
By providing you with advance notice of this initiative, we hope that there will be isolated issues with the students’ uniform when we return to school in August. If you are having difficulty finding appropriate uniforms or have questions concerning uniforms, please contact your child’s school.
We appreciate your partnership in ensuring that our students are well-prepared and appropriately dressed for school each day. Your support in enforcing the uniform policy is vital to maintaining a positive and productive learning environment for all students. We look forward to unveiling changes in our uniform in the fall of 2025.
Thank you again for your continued support in fostering a positive and professional environment for our students. -OCS Leadership